On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. Michigan Radio. out of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? The Air Force says, Any aircraft before 1961, weve abandoned it.. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. The plane was equipped with the cannon and four .50-caliber machine guns two mounted on the wings, two more just behind the propeller and timed to fire through the spinning blades. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. Maximum speed was 178 mph at sea level, 171 mph at 10,000 feet. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. A single-seat low-wing fighter developed for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) by Republic Aviation, it was the largest single-engined piston fighter ever produced. empty, 3310 lb gross. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. The P-39 had a unique configuration with the engine placed behind the pilot and the drive shaft running under the cockpit to the propeller. The EPA Superfund Contaminants of Concern Update of June 3, 2016 lists all the same contaminants listed in 38-3307(7)(i) as it relates to USMC Camp Lejeune water contaminants. According to Robert Delaney, a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality specialist, If you pull the water out of the ground in that training area, it still foams, theres so much in there. Since this entire problem stems from the fact that the foam used to extinguish fires on the base is what carried the toxic chemical, that goes to show just how invasive and problematic this contamination can be. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. [1] This tight knit community was not confined to just the Air Force Base, but extended into the community as well. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. I am pretty sure Diabetes and Sleep Apnea I have now and neuro dammage in both arms are related , So Presumptive Claims puzzleing I have a claim in and never heard anything I know Senator Kilddee of Michigan is trying to help veterans on this matter but congress are dragging this out. [1] As tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the week, The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatly, from person to person. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Student projects from Michigan Tech's SS3505 Military History of the United States, on the people, places, and objects involving our military history in the upper Great Lakes region, Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920s to June 3rd 1993. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. Someone who works in a place that uses these chemicals and is exposed to them can have up to 100 parts per million, or 0.01%, in their blood. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o 1970 - The Air Force knew that some of the Webb Air Force Base Family Housing units, located in Big Spring Texas, were contaminated with and the occupants exposed to a large quantity of chlordane. This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. My ex wife has thyroid disease and auto immune disease. Within a few days, a mere 28 Airmen established housing for over 400 personnel, replete with . During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. Mrs. Cecil V. Fowler saw the crash, according to the Times Herald article. These levels were published by the Enviromental Protection Agency (Mlive.com). Members of the Tuskegee Airmen, trained at Oscoda for several weeks and stayed on the base. These, planes would regularly fly missions from Wurtsmith Air Force Base during the, The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of, 19661. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . This happened a couple weeks before the IOC which is in the wing,ahistorical records on microfilm. Since 1994, the Wurtsmith Air Museum has upheld the mission of preserving the history of the history of Wurtsmith Air Force Base (an integral part of the US Air Force from 1923 until 1993) and aviation in Northeast Michigan. The Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . DISCLAIMER: Information displayed on U.S. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. I was born on base November 1978, and lived on base with my mom, brother born 1989 on base, and my dad, a civil engineer stationed on base until oct 1982. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/available-properties/, https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/development-site/, https://www.afhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/APH-Winter2016.pdf, http://www.armytimes.com/story/news/2014/07/30/divers-find-wreckage-of-world-war-ii-era-plane/13354373/, https://wurtsmithairmuseum.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Air-Refueling-Squadron-_-Real-People-_-George-Schlatter720p.mp4. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. What us the compensation for this? Lester Graham. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. After all of that great history, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base is still standing as a place that is visited by a plethora of people. Then everything happened so fast it seems unbelievable. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we recognize the many men and women who served and fought during the difficult conflict, giving them the appreciation they deserve. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. The chemicals, notably benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), were documented at extremely high levels in Wurstmith AFB water many times when the former Strategic Air Command (SAC) base was active and home to B-52 Bomber Wings. The Tuskegee Airmen were African-American members of the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Force who fought in Europe during World War II. As seen, in the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of the, beginning of the runway with a building next to it. Anyone know the status on this? How is it that these large and respected scientific organizations can continue to be ignored in the face of statistically overwhelming data and human impacts. Had some issue at Loring Maine where I was stationed from 86-88 and nothing.VA is cricket s on this Richard Stanfill, 12/5/21I was stationed there from 1982 to October of 1985 and lost my left kidney to 3rd stage clear cell carcinoma I never smoked or did drugs. At Oscoda Army Air Field, from the Group Historian: Over the sandy pine shores of Lake Huron, pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group polished up their flight and gunnery tactics for threat inevitable test of their skill and courage which will eventually lead them to pursuit and battle in the skies of Europe and Asia. By the end of November 1943 all training for the 332nd had been completed at Oscoda and the Group departed for overseas. Click on a marker for base information. Even studies on fish have been done, where it was found that PFOA is a liver carcinogen in rainbow trout. This unfortunately happened on October 11. , 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. We didnt know really what we had.. Groundwater data collected in 1999 at Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Michigan), Tyndall Air Force Base (Florida) and Naval Air Station Fallon (Nevada), where PFC concentrations ranged from below detection limit to over 14,000 g/L, suggest that any military site where AFFFs have been used is likely to have a dissolved plume containing . These are simply the specific . Contaminated water has been shown to be the main way that humans get exposed to this chemical, which is exactly whats going on in Oscoda. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. 1944 -- Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith, born in Detroit in 1906, led U. S. Army Air Corps training flights to Camp Skeel near Oscoda prior to World War II. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Because the Committee on Toxicology (NRC, 1979) concluded that it could not determine a level of exposure to chlordane below which there would be no biologic effect under conditions of prolonged exposure of families in military housing. The pesticide levels and CERCLA 120(h) Deed Restrictions are public information and readily available. The 700 hp Conqueror engine was exceptionally powerful for its day, but it had many minor and some major faults which needed to be corrected. Dover Air Force base, Delaware. The armament of the P-1 was a pair of 0.30 cal machine guns mounted in the upper fuselage decking inside the V-cylinder blocks and synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. It was renamed Camp Skeel in 1924, for the World War I Pilot Captain Burt E. Skeel, and was used as an aerial gunnery range and for winter maneuvers 1924 through 1944 by the 1st Pursuit . My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. I was stationed there 1978 -81 lived on base they never told us about the water being contaminated . Marie and the straights of Mackinac. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. The intent is to create a self-help registry for those who were harmed by the extremely toxic organochlorine pesticide contamination detected at Military Family Housing. [1] This was followed by one and a half weeks of normal day to day activities, until the flight crew relieved crew on ready alert in the bunkers. [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. [1] On the first Wednesday the, fresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. Posts and surveys made on this website are opinions or suggestions of users of this website and are not representations, opinions or suggestions of U.S. "It was a city within a city. Just run the water until it clears up. It excelled in low-altitude ground support as a well-built and reliable aircraft capable of absorbing quite a bit of battle damage. In 2016, residents near Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan discovered that the water they drank, bathed in, swam in, and fished in was contaminated with jet fuel, cancer-causing chlorinated . Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. Investigation determined a defective tire caused the accident. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. . Cindi developed hypertension and Lawrence diagnosed with lung disease. It was built out of a portion of the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base which housed nuclear armed B-52 Stratofortress bombers during the Cold War as well as air refueling squadrons. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. [3], www.nytimes.com/1988/10/12/us/six-are-killed-in-crash-of-an-air-force-tanker.html, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm, http://ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2015/10/11/wurtsmith-air-force-base/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wurtsmith_Air_Force_Base. Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. Stay tuned for further developments. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. The military has not begun cleanups at any of the 50 Department of Defense sites Congress has identified as highly contaminated with the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS - and it could be years before cleanups are complete. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. Wurtsmith AFB has a better paper trail showing irrefutable evidence of contamination of the base drinking water with Trichloroethelene (TCE) first discovered in 1977 as a result of a complaint from a base housing resident. The water table is about 10 feet below land surface in the western part of the Base and about 25 feet below land surface in the eastern part. Engine not damaged. They are surely exposed to this chemical nearly every day, whether it be playing outside on the playground or from being exposed to the chemicals via drinking the water. [1], Over the course of Mr. Nortons career as both a KC-135 Navigator, and a DC-10 Pilot, Mr. Norton served as a flight commander, served numerous, deployments during the Gulf War escorting fighter squadrons from the United, States into theater, supporting fighter squadrons and bomber squadrons in, theater, served multiple temporary duty assignments to England, Spain, Saudi, Arabia, Alaska, and other Air Force Bases around the globe. All the artifacts that were taken off were replaced in their original position and original situation except for the tag we cleaned up, he said. This gave the Army operations the opportunity to begin creating the base we know today. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. It was formed on 1 August 1961 to merge the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group for SAC aircrew evaluation with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group that had originated from the 263rd Army Air Force Base Unit which transferred from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command c. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. Wurtsmith got its start in 1923 as Loud-Reames Aviation Field, a soft-surface landing site for Arm Air Corps aircraft from Selfridge Field. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. The base came to be because of chance. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. [1] China Lake Naval base, California. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. The KC-135s would finish one mission and there would be another one waiting for them as soon as they were available. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. According to the Air Force's account, in October 1977, a Wurtsmith base housing resident complained about a peculiar odor and taste in the drinking water. Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. 70-77 lived on base housing with family, flight line assistant supervisor. [1], These KC-135s were necessary because the B-52 could not take off with both a, full load of ordnance and a full tank of gas.[1]. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. [4] Over the tenure of the base it was home to an aerial gunnery range, a fighter-interceptor training base and later home to the 379th Bomb Wing as a member of the Strategic Air Command.[4]. All kind of special chemicals that Boeing told the USAF we had to have. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. purposes only, and is not legal advice. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. Powerplant: 1 Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12, 1,200 hp (895 kW), Maximum speed: 376 mph (605 km/h) (Redline dive speed was 525 mph), Range: 525 miles on internal fuel (840 km). At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. Veteran Compensation Programs (USVCP) (www.veteranprograms.com), and any of their associated websites is for general informational. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda Township, Mich. U.S. Department of Defense In Oscoda, authorities tracked the contamination of Van Etten Lake to Wurtsmith Air Force Base , which closed in 1993. [1] At some point over the week an alarm would sound,signaling to the flight crew that the B-52s had to be in the air. Since, 2010 sampling by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the U.S. Air Force has identified elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in drinking water wells and some locally caught fish and deer. There are many people who were exposed to the Wurtsmith water that are now coming out and blaming the chemical filled drinking water for their health problems.
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